Monday, August 15, 2011

Truck in Day

Rose, last year

At Altamont Fair. Of course, yesterday, Monday, Liz's three-year-old Silky Cousteau daughter, came down with one tiny, little spot of ringworm....size of a quarter...or maybe it is not ringworm...looks like a scrape today. So she can't go...or maybe she can go. She has had ringworm before and they are generally immune after one go round, but not Monday, no sirree....unless it is just a scrape, which is what it looks like today.

And naturally it is raining and soggy and ugly. Of course. And Jade's truck coughed up a caliper yesterday and he is the hauler of choice. Of course, of course.

It wouldn't be the fair if fifteen different things didn't go wrong at once. I am so glad that I stay home now. When the kids were small and needed a chaperon and crew chief all this fell on my shoulders. Now Liz will sort it all out...or not... as the case may be. I would hate to be in her shoes, managing all these disasters. She works here with us and has a challenging full-time job as a milk inspector and worked right up until Friday, so getting ready is a B*&^%......yeah....one of those

Of course Blitz is lame again so she can't go either. She has missed the last three years because of lameness or sickness. Such a weak cow.....Looks like the string is down to Bling, Chrome, Rose Magnolia and Moments, the Jersey cow. The fair raised entry fees so much this year that word is there are only two milk cows in the whole show. Yowsa! Used to be, just a few short years ago, they crammed 150 head into the tiny old barn. Now they have the big, new barn and it sounds as if it will be half empty.

None of this matters of course, the fair is the fair and will always end up being fun. It just is. Fair food, wonderful friends you only see once a year, but count among your favorite people in the world, time to pamper and play with cows all day....it is almost always worth all that it takes. By Thursday night, show night, the cows will be clean, clipped and polished, the display will be set up and looking fine and all these travails will be forgotten, other than as fodder for comparing notes with everyone else about truck in....maybe we will see you there.....

Livestock at the fair life. Poor Liz, but you are right when there is some pressure, there are problems. Last year at the BIG E, a llama who had been microchipped by my vet wasn't allowed off the trailer because the chip had slipped and they couldn't find it. Finally, someone did...when they tried again an hour later, but ugh what a terrible hour that was. If I make it to the fair I will find Liz - as always! She makes me smile.

Someone needs to talk to the fair folks about the law of diminishing returns. 1) Raised entry fees 2) = fewer participants 3) = fewer folks coming to see what their friends Tom, Dick and Mary have done lately4) = fewer $$ at the gate, for concessions, etc..

Lower entry fees would, of course, reverse the trend at all other steps. Therefore, lower entry fees = more $$ at the gate.***I'm with TenMile. Blitz is no dummy. She's just a stay at home kinda gal. Watch her the next day or two as the activity of preparation dies down. She'll probably be waltzing in the meadow and tap dancing down to the barn for milking. ;-)

Gee, it's Altamont Fair time again already?I wish I'd been more aware; I would've saved a couple of vacation days for it, especially the ox pull on Wednesday. I like to watch the evidence of extensive training.

TenMile, lol, most of them like to go though. One year we parked the trailer, hooked up to the truck, in the barnyard while we got a calf ready to load. All the old, retired show cows either got on or tried to get on. It was hilarious! We had a load before we knew it. I think they love the constant attention, baths, special food etc....all but a few...

Teri, she loves it though..been showing since she was six. she will be thrilled to see you if you make it over. I hope to get over, but somebody has to stay home and it tends to end up being me.

Joated, you are absolutely right about the economics, but some fairs just don't see it. Our own fair did much the same thing a few years back and lost most of their exhibitors. Now they are very user friendly and take good care of us.

June, I miss the sheep dog trials! We used to go just for that if for no other reason. In fact I met the man I bought the two old dogs from at that trial.

Caroline, a lot of work but a lot of fun too. I miss it in some ways....in other ways...it is a lot of work. lol

June, I wish I could describe the way it feels to actually work with such a dog. To me it was the essence of everything dog, everything wild, yet controlled and so beautiful it makes my heart ache to remember. Working a stock dog, other than raising a family, is the best thing I have ever done. they are the most amazing animals I have ever been around.

Ann, we will know Thursday when they actually are judged. Right now they are there for the enjoyment of folks who go to the fair, who get to see pretty cows, all washed and clipped and polished. We don't raise bulls off our stock, but have been offered some pretty good money for some of our heifers and cows that have done well in the show ring. Never sold any of them that way though. You get so attached to them....